Afflictions of the Manas and Afflictions of the Mind Consciousness

Question: When I observe that a mental affliction is about to arise in my mind, afterwards the mind consciousness really does feel irritated and distressed; everything the mind consciousness thinks of is negative energy and extremely pessimistic—that is, depression appears. Is this mental affliction produced by the manas?

Answer: From what you have described, it is indeed the case that the manas first has the mental affliction, and then impels the mind consciousness to arise at the place of that affliction, to cognize the affliction, to feel the affliction, and then to manifest the affliction and emotions. This is the manas perfuming the mind consciousness.

After the mind consciousness cognizes dharmas, it may produce its own mental afflictions, and then perfume the manas, causing the manas also to become tainted by the affliction—this is the mind consciousness perfuming the manas. The arising of the mind consciousness occurs when the manas contacts the mental sense-objects (dharmāyatana); only after this contact and the intention to act does the mind consciousness arise. Where do the mind consciousness's afflictions come from? One source is from the manas, and the other is from the mind's arising toward sense objects. How do the mind consciousness's afflictions come from the manas? After the manas contacts the sense objects and gives rise to an affliction, wanting to vent it or express it, it will regulate and control the mind consciousness, impelling the mind consciousness to vent afflictive emotions and create afflictive karma. Thus the mind consciousness manifests afflictions such as hatred, craving and attachment, and so on.

The second source of the mind consciousness's afflictions is that after the mind consciousness contacts and discerns the sense objects, it may give rise to afflictions. When the mind consciousness develops an affliction and wants to engage in some activity, it transmits the idea to the manas. If the manas is beguiled but does not itself give rise to the affliction, it will passively consent to the mind consciousness creating afflictive karma and venting emotions; if the manas is beguiled and influenced by the mind consciousness and also gives rise to the affliction, it will actively impel the mind consciousness to create afflictive karma and vent emotions. If the manas is not beguiled by the mind consciousness, it will not permit the mind consciousness to create afflictive karma.

Therefore, when sentient beings give rise to afflictions, sometimes it is the mind consciousness's affliction alone, sometimes the manas's affliction alone, and sometimes an affliction arising jointly from the manas and the mind consciousness. When the mind consciousness alone gives rise to an affliction, it can quickly recede and disappear, and is easy to transform; if the manas gives rise to an affliction on its own, it is very hard to calm down, not easy to persuade and transform, and not easy to subdue. If the manas and the mind consciousness give rise to an affliction together, afflictive karma will certainly be created; at that time there is no controller of the emotions, and things will spiral out of control beyond remedy.